KWAME NKRUMAH UNIVERSITY OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY, KUMASI

COLLEGE OF HUMANITIES AND SOCIAL SCIENCES

FACULTY OF SOCIAL SCIENCES
DEPARTMENT OF ENGLISH

NAME: DERICK OPPONG (REV.)

STD REF NUM.: 20897654

STD. INDEX NUM.: PG2470122

COURSE: SOCIOLINGUISTICS (ENGL 681)

LECTURER: PROF. SEKYI-BAIDOO

TERM PAPER FOR SEMESTER ONE

MAY, 2023

TOPIC

TEASING AND CONVERSATIONAL JOKES AMONG TEACHERS: A CASE STUDY OF

TEACHERS AT THE PRESBYTERIAN SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL, BOMPATA

Introduction

Language as a facility for human communication performs so many functions in the society.

Humans use language to interact in different social contexts. The social context determines

the kind of language and expression that will be used by interactants. This is to say that there

is a strong relationship between language and society. Language defines a community or

social group. In other words, the kind of language used by a particular group or community at

every given hour gives the identity or culture of that community or group. The people in the

community or group use language to perform so many functions. In other words, language

performs so many functions in every speech community. One of such functions is its ability

to create humour, laughter, teasing and conversational jokes. Teasing and conversational jokes

are very paramount in human interactions. Teasing is a feature of human communication.

Wherever and whenever people meet to interact, there is the likelihood that teasing or jokes

will manifest in different forms. According to Haugh (2017), teasing is often associated with

childhood, but it has been found to be ubiquitous, arising across a wide range of different

interactional settings in different languages and cultures. Haugh’s description is an indication

that teasing and conversational jokes are pervasive in human interactions. Teasing can be seen

in inter and intra cultures, professions, homes, offices, communities and among people of

different status and ages.

Keltner et al (1998) state that “Teasing is paradoxical: it criticizes yet compliments,

attacks yet makes people closer, humiliates yet expresses affection.” In every speech

community, it can be seen that teasing and conversational jokes are most effective among

peers, colleagues and people with common interactional practices. Thus, people with a

common group or social practice are able to flow with one another through jokes, teasing or

mockery.

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Definition of teasing and jokes

Teasing as a social construct doesn’t lean itself to only one definition. It is relative. What is

seen as teasing or joke in one speech community may be offensive to another or in different

speech community. What is seen as a playful interaction in one social group or context may

be aggressive in different social context or community.

Warm (1997) defines teasing as “a deliberate act designed by the teaser to cause tension in the

victim, such as anxiety, frustration, anger, embarrassment, humiliation, etc.” Keltner et al (2001)

on the other hand, define teasing as “intentional provocation accompanied by playful off-record

markers that together comment on something relevant to the target,”. The definitions of the above

authors indicate that teasing is deliberate. Eisenberg (1986), defines teasing as ‘any

conversational sequence that opens with a mock challenge, insult or threat.”

Teasing is a way by which people playfully mock, humiliate or provoke others. It is important to

note that such playful humiliation takes place during an interaction between people who have

shared values.

Background to the study

The Presbyterian Senior High School, Bompata, is one of the schools within the Asante Akyem

South Municipality. It has about one thousand, seven hundred students. The staff strength is one

hundred and thirty-six (eighty-seven teaching staff and forty-nine non-teaching staff). There are a

lot of young teachers on the staff. About 60% of the staff is relatively young tutors. As a result,

the interaction among them is a kind of “youngsters.” They display a lot of youthful character

anytime they come together. At every gathering, some intentionally create humour, jokes, and

mockery. As a community of practice, their daily meetings or interaction creates atmosphere of

humour. Some staff members intentionally and playfully create stories about a colleague so that

others will join in to tease or mock the victim. This is seen at everywhere they meet as a group: at

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Staff Common Room, at staff meetings and any other social gathering. The teasing is very

noticeable when they are on board to any function or a programme. When they are in a vehicle

(school bus) for instance, the teasing or jokes rotates; most of the members get their share in the

joke. One person’s tease leads to another person’s mockery. It is interesting to note that some of

the jokes reveal the secret of others and that brings a chorus laughter.

Sometimes, the jokes generate heated arguments. The victim’s intimate friends sometimes, refute

what is said about their friend but the others pour their shouts on them to indicate that what is said

about the victim is absolutely true. That also brings another secret from some of the members who

try to save their colleague. This time round, the mockery is taken to another level, more intense

and very laughable in nature. When that happens, the group and all those around is revived with

joy, amidst shouting and clapping.

Research questions

The analysis of data for this paper is guided by the following questions:

1. How do teasing and jokes occur during the interactions of staff members?

2. How do people respond to teasing and jokes?

3. What are the effects of interactional jokes and teasing among the teachers of the

Presbyterian Senior High School, Bompata?

Theoretical Framework

This paper uses the Community of Practice framework which is advocated by Wenger (1998)

in his book, “Communities of Practice: Learning, meaning, and identity.” Eckert and

McConnell Ginet (1992) define community of practice as “an aggregate of people who come

together around mutual engagement: ways of doing things, ways of talking, beliefs, values,

power relations, etc.” Community of practice involves a group of people within a speech

community who share common interest and practices. Example include people of a particular

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profession or ideology who come together to learn, share some common issues together or

engage in certain aspect of their field or their lives. Example of such groups include teachers,

medical practitioners, university lecturers, clubs and associations, religious fraternity, etc.

Wenger (1998) regards the concept of community of practice as a means of examining one

natural method of learning which in many respects resembles an apprenticeship. According

to Wenger (1998), the process of becoming a member of a community of practice typically

happens when one joins a new workplace. This involves learning the appropriate behaviours,

including verbal behaviours that characterise this group and distinguish it from others. In other

words, joining a community of practice inevitably involves acquiring the cultural norms of

the community. Wenger adds that the focus is on the dynamic process involved in constructing

a new group identity. It is important to note that each community of practice has its own way

of doing things. Each is characterized by a unique identity. Such identity defines them and

makes them who they are. Teachers in the Presbyterian Senior High School, Bompata, can be

considered as a community of practice. They have their own ways of doing things. They

engage in different practices that contribute significantly to their profession. One of such is

teasing and joking in their interaction when they meet.

Wenger (1998) suggests a number of dimensions, or specific features through which a

community of practice is identified. These dimensions include both verbal and non-verbal

behaviours. According to Wenger, the following are the most important aspect in analysing

humour in every community of practice:

➢ ‘‘sustained mutual relationships

➢ shared ways of engaging in doing things together

➢ local lore, shared stories, inside jokes, knowing laughter

➢ certain styles recognized as displaying membership’’ (Wenger, 1998).

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According to Wenger, these dimensions provide a means of characterising the distinctiveness

of particular community of practice, and of comparing their communicative practices.

Methodology

Participants for the study

The staff of the Presbyterian Senior High School, Bompata, was used as the participants for

this paper. Thirty-five members of the staff were particularly engaged in different forms in

order to get data for this study.

Instruments used for data collection

The researcher used two instruments to get data for the study: observation and unstructured

interviews. The observation was used during official gathering (staff meetings) and unofficial

gatherings as well (at staff common room and any casual gatherings) and at any point in time

when few staff members come together to interact. In any of the gatherings indicated above,

the researcher keenly observed the various interactions that went on and how each member

reacted to issues. Again, the researcher sometimes, involved himself in the conversation,

especially during casual meetings. The researcher particularly joined a particular group who

had already initiated the teasing process. During such interactions, most of the members, upon

seeing the researcher, brought out a lot of issues for discussion. They would intentionally

bring out, or sometimes, cook up a story about a member that would certainly put such

member into “trouble.” When that happens, all the other members become happy: they laugh,

shout and hop from one place to another.

Another instrument that was used to collect data is unstructured interview. The researcher

decided to interview few members about why they sometimes tease or mock their colleague.

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Analysis and Discussions

Study question 1: How do teasing and jokes occur during the interactions of staff

members?

This question analyses the various forms teasing and jokes take during staff interaction. The

jokes take place in various forms: personal issues (one’s dressing, mannerism, utterances, etc),

family issues, issues in classroom and other issues that take place outside the school. Example

is seen in the following excerpt:

Excerpt 1: The staff in a school bus

In this example, the staff is in a car (school bus) to a funeral on a long journey. Everyone

becomes quiet and suddenly one person gets up and breaks the silence. He asks, “Ah Afum,

how is your young family?” Another member retorts, “Does he have any family?” With this,

everyone bursts into laughter. Another person comes in and says, “Afum has a family, he has

twin daughters.” Just after that, one person gives a laughable statement, “He has twin

daughters but their faces look like boys.” Just after this statement, the staff laughs and laughs.

Those who are closer to him (Afum) shout and call him to stand so that they can examine him

if really the girls are really his children.

In the heat of that laughter, one person also gets up and turns the tease to another person. He

stands and motion to those standing, “Please, listen to me, that Omane who is laughing at

Afum, ask him how many children he has. He is now 32 years but he has given birth to six

children. He gives birth like a “pig.” Some members, upon hearing this, laugh and clap their

hands in the air. Some laugh uncontrollably. This laughter generates noise in the vehicle and

almost everyone who is sleeping gets up and listens to what is going on. As the laughter

subsides and another person brings in Omane’s issues again and states, “Omane ama )baa no

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ay3 abrewa by force.” (Omane has made his wife become a premature old lady). All the staff

members burst into laughter again. The headmaster and some members of the school

management are also in the bus. So, someone shouts, “Master, have you seen what your boy

is doing? He is killing his wife in bed. He doesn’t allow the lady to sleep.” All the staff

members tease Omane again. The headmaster hears this and shakes his head jokingly.

One of the members who spearhead the teasing of others topic also comes out. One person

shouts and says, “That Dee boy who is busily mocking others has also given his girlfriend

broken heart. The girl spent a lot of money on him yet he has dumped her. Dee when you

came to this school, we saw you. You were as slim as a needle but now your cheeks are falling

on your chest. You are a wicked man.” Upon hearing this, Dee keeps quiet and sits. Some of

the members turn their lips on him and tease him. Someone at the back shouts that “because

of this the lady has forcefully gone on transfer, meanwhile it is not transfer period.” Some of

them exclaim, “Ohhhhh Deeee!” This generates another laughter in the bus.

Excerpt 2: At staff meeting

The staff is at a meeting. The Headmaster addresses the staff on the need to engage the final

year students so that there will be success in their final examination (WASSCE, 2023). One

teacher gets up to contribute to the discussions. He begins this way, “Please sir, I think we

have a long way to go. These current or crop of students are not serious and we need to put

proper measures in place, otherwise they will disgrace us one day.” When he is done speaking,

a giggle is heard among those who sit around him. The headmaster inquires about the cause

of the mummering and the giggle. One English Language tutor gets up and addresses the

headmaster, “Sir, when Sammy was speaking, he made two mistakes and we want to correct

him: he said “ “I tink” but it is not ‘I tink.’ It is “I think.”’’ When he finishes speaking, the

room shakes with laughter. In the midst of the laughter, a female tutor also gives a comment

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at the back that, “He also said “clop” of students but it is not “clop” but “crop.” The staff

laughs again and the victim gets up and addresses the headmaster, “Sir, you see ooo. The

person who said I said “tink” is an English Language tutor yet he speaks nonstandard English.”

After his comments, the whole place gets heated with laughter, amidst clapping. The

headmaster comes in to get the meeting ongoing.

Excerpt 3: At the Staff Common Room

It is breakfast time and a female tutor sends a student to buy her food (plain rice and stew).

The student returns with the food. The tutor takes the food and starts to eat. She passes a

comment: “As for today the food is not good. The aroma is bad.” One male tutor retorts and

says, “Madam, eat it like that. The other time we gave you money to prepare us braised rice

but we saw what you prepared. It was like rice water and full of salt.” The few staff members

there begin to mock the female tutor. Meanwhile, she pretends as if she has not heard. Another

female tutor prompts her and asks, “May, have you heard what they are saying?” The victim

comes in and comments, “I won’t mind them. Ask them whether any of them knows my

house.” The members laugh again and continue with the mockery.

The above excerpts indicate the various forms of teasing among the staff and how the teasing

manifests.

Study question 2: How do people respond to teasing and jokes?

Teasing, jokes and mockery can generate different responses from the participants in

conversation. Teasing or mockery tests the pulse of people and can arouse different emotional

reactions from the victim (anger, joy, laughter, etc.). However, the style of teasing and jokes

observed from the stuff of this study, the Presbyterian Senior High School, Bompata, is joyful

and warmth. In the observation, no victim got angry or whatsoever. Whoever become a victim

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of the mockery got along with the issue about them. As a community of practice each member

has learned to put up with the culture of the school. As indicated by Wenger (1998), whoever

joins any community of practice must be ready to learn the appropriate behaviours, including

verbal behaviours, that characterise the group and distinguish it from others. So in the

observation, all those who got mocked never got angry but rather tolerated whatever was said

about them. The victims who were teased responded playfully, some kept quiet and others

also tried to bring issues that would change the topic about them to others.

Study question 3: What are the effects of interactional jokes and teasing among the

teachers of the Presbyterian Senior High School, Bompata?

The interview conducted indicates that interactional jokes and teasing contribute significantly

to communities of practice, like the Presbyterian Senior High School, Bompata. Eisenberg

(1986) indicates that teasing has an affective effect. Affective function of teasing means that

it can arouse both positive and negative responses amongst participants. This means that

positively, teasing can cause amusement or entertainment among participants. Negatively on

the other hand, teasing can cause anger or emotional pains to the victim. The observation of

the staff as they tease, mock and with one another indicates the following:

1. Teasing causes amusement in them.

2. Teasing is a way or source of entertainment.

3. Teasing brings them together.

4. Teasing defines an aspect of the school’s culture

5. Teasing and interactional jokes socialise the staff.

6. Teasing fosters inter-personal solidarity

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Teasing and exaggeration

In the observation, it was observed that teasing and interactional jokes sometimes involve

extensive use of exaggeration and fabrications. Most of the conversations among the teachers

happen naturally; and one topic or issue under discussion leads to another. During such

interactions, jokes emanate naturally. However, there are some instances where some teachers

intentionally create jokes. Some too, create topics about their colleagues that would bring all

teachers present on board to tease that colleague. The person who brings a topic about the

victim tries to exaggerate things to the extent that the victim would have nothing to say but to

get along playfully. Sometimes, the exaggeration makes the issue about the victim too serious.

The exaggeration makes the topic natural. Whoever becomes a victim of such topics has to

take steps to defend himself playfully or accept to fall prey and receive all the various things

said about him. One thing that comes with the exaggeration is exclamations and chorus

clapping. Some of the teasing issues raised about a member generate spontaneous

exclamations that can even raise a sleeping baby up. The pitch, volume and the intensity of

the voices of the participant become so high that one cannot distinguish what each participant

is saying. The exclamation comes with clapping and uncontrollable laughter from the

participants. Some can laugh with tears streaming down their cheeks.

Female involvements in the teasing

It is important to note that the teasing and conversational jokes do not only involve male

teachers. Female teachers get their share too. Some female teachers become victims of the

teasing culture in the school. Theirs take different forms and somehow, very gentle. This takes

forms like, “At your age you don’t know how to cook good food for your boyfriend. You

always get him fast foods.” Other form of teasing the females get include issues about their

dressing, their relationship issues (broken heart, poor or ugly boyfriends, etc). Sometimes, a

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female teacher who sees the “seriousness” of the joke runs away from the place or she

retaliates and face the males squarely. When that happens, her colleague female teachers come

to their rescue and “fight for her.” The various turn takings and reactions or responses creates

intense laughter and joy among the participants.

Conclusion/Recommendations

Teasing and interactional jokes are very pervasive in every society. This paper investigated

the forms of teasing that take place at the Presbyterian Senior High School, Bompata. The

observation and the analysis indicate that teasing and interactional jokes occur whenever the

teachers gather, officially or casually. The teasing episodes define the relationship among the

staff of the school. It gives them identity. It binds them together and it is one of their sources

of entertainment when they meet.

The researcher wishes to recommend that further research could be done to see if teasing and

interactional jokes really unite any community of practice (like the Presbyterian Senior High

School, Bompata) or it disintegrates them. In other words, further research can be carried out

to ascertain if open jokes and interactions at workplaces are genuine or there are personal

issues and acrimonies among members who become victim of mockery.

Again, the data gathered show that teasing and conversational jokes have positive dimensions.

The researcher hardly found any form of anger, frustration or any emotional pain whenever a

staff member become a victim of mockery. In other words, per the observation, the researcher

found only the positive and entertaining part of teasing. The researcher therefore recommends

that further study can be conducted to find out the negative implication of teasing in any

community of practice.

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References

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gender as community–based practice. Annual review of anthropology 21: 461-90.

Eisenberg, Ann R. (1986). Teasing: Verbal play in two Mexican homes. In Schieffelin, Bambi

Haugh, Michael (2017) Teasing. In Salvatore Attardo (ed.), Handbook of Language and

Humour (pp.204-218), Routledge, London.

Keltner, D., Capps, L., Kring, A. M., Young, R. C., & Heerey, E. A. (2001). Just teasing:

A conceptual analysis and empirical review. Psychological Bulletin, 127 (2), 229-248.

Keltner, D., Young, R., Heerey, E. A., & Oemig, C. (1998). Teasing in hierarchical and

intimate relations. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 75, 1231-1247.

Warm, T. R. (1997). The role of teasing in development and vice-versa. Developmental and

Behavioural Paediatrics, 18, 97-101.

Wenger, E. (1998). Communities of practice: Learning, meaning and identity. Cambridge,

UK: Cambridge University Press.

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